Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate has reportedly emerged as an injury doubt for Sunday's Premier League clash with Manchester City.
The former RB Leipzig man missed a good chunk of the early stages of the campaign after picking up a knee issue against Strasbourg in a pre-season friendly defeat.
Konate was absent for 10 games in all competitions with his knee problem, and he has now made two appearances in the 2022-23 season since recovering from the setback.
The 23-year-old was on the pitch for 21 minutes in last weekend's 3-2 defeat to Arsenal before making his first start of the season in the 7-1 Champions League win over Rangers.
Konate lasted 79 minutes of that contest at Ibrox, filling for the injured Joel Matip, but according to The Athletic, he could now join Liverpool's ever-growing treatment room.
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The report claims that the centre-back was absent from training on Friday after picking up a fresh muscular problem, and he was due to undergo scans on Saturday to determine the severity of the injury.
Konate's issue is supposedly just a minor one, but Jurgen Klopp is not prepared to take any risks on the Frenchman given his recent layoff.
The defender has three goals and an assist to boast from 31 outings for the Reds in all competitions since making the move from Leipzig in 2021, winning the FA Cup and EFL Cup in his debut season.
Konate only made 11 Premier League starts for Liverpool in the 2021-22 season, but his possible absence is the latest in a long line of blows for Klopp ahead of the visit of the Champions.
Matip and Trent Alexander-Arnold are already out for a couple of weeks with calf and ankle problems respectively, so Klopp could be forced into another defensive reshuffle this weekend.
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Joe Gomez was initially expected to cover for Alexander-Arnold at right-back on Sunday, but the Englishman is now expected to join Virgil van Dijk in the heart of defence.
James Milner would therefore come in at right-back, but Liverpool have been boosted by Andy Robertson's return to fitness on the opposite side of the backline.
Luis Diaz, Arthur, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita also occupy spots in the Anfield treatment room, and it remains to be seen if Curtis Jones will be passed fit for the contest with Man City.
Liverpool enter Sunday's game 14 points adrift of leaders Arsenal - who have played a game more - in 11th place, dropping down a spot following Fulham's 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.
Klopp has already admitted that Sunday's game could end up deciding the destiny of the Premier League crown, but his side will not be involved in the title conversation.
Ben Knapton
